


Days of Advent, Chapter 3: Special Operations

by CorsairOriginal



Series: Days of Advent [8]
Category: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, On The Way To A Smile: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Before Crisis (Compilation of FFVII) Spoilers, Gen, Turks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorsairOriginal/pseuds/CorsairOriginal
Summary: Nanaki has been keeping an eye on the emergency medical centers that have been put up to combat the mysterious disease currently known as “Meteorcrash.” He and Yuffie have a lot on their hands and paws, and unexpected allies in a group of strangers who aided in Reeve’s efforts to evacuate Midgar.**Contains Spoilers for Before Crisis FFVII******For those who haven't read "Through Another's Eyes," I would recommend at least reading Chapters 1,2, 13, and 14. While not completely necessary, it does help to understand where this story starts from.****
Series: Days of Advent [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1903474
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Days of Advent, Chapter 3: Special Operations

What constituted temporary Shinra headquarters was a small town’s worth of portable buildings a safe distance outside Midgar. Further from it was the more disquieting sight of the rapidly-set up temporary hospital—including the areas quarantined off that contained those suffering from, treating, and studying Meteor Crash. 

Nanaki had circled this area by himself for much of the day, attempting to peer through the massive, sealed tents from a distance. While he had not gotten close, he had been near enough to watch new patients arrive. Meteor Crash was horrific to behold: a creeping discoloration that caused wet coughs, muscle spasms, and seizures. Those who succumbed completely drowned in the ichor-like fluid that filled their lungs, and the bodies their deaths left leaked it out of every orifice.

While Nanaki couldn’t claim he knew much about human anatomy, he was drawn to those affected with a curiosity he couldn’t quantify. Disease had a scent to it, something that humans wouldn’t understand, even if Nanaki attempted to explain. The humans carrying Meteor Crash did not have the scent of disease. They smelled like decay, like…earth. The black ichor smelled exactly the way plants returned to the earth, but not like fungus. Just decay.

There was a dread that filled Nanaki as he made his way back to the cluster of metal buildings surrounded by activity. There was more to Meteor Crash than assumed, and Nanaki was unsure of how to voice his concerns in a way that would be helpful.

Humans going through their jobs gave Nanaki a wide berth as he walked, nothing that Nanaki was unused to. However, as he moved further into the tangle of recovery efforts, a soldier paused in front of him. Minus his triocular visor, Nanaki was able to see the man’s baffled expression at the sight of a Shinra pass dangling from Nanaki’s headdress.

“Yes,” Nanaki said simply. “I am meant to be here.”

The soldier started and jumped back from him, his hand hovering over his side arm for the briefest of moments before he said, “O-Oh. Uh. C-Carry on.”

“Do I hear a ‘thank you’?”

Both Nanaki and the soldier glanced at the young woman standing nearby, her hands on her hips as she glared the soldier down. Yuffie gestured largely. “Well? _‘Thank you’?_ He’s part of the reason you’re still alive?”

As though a switch had been flipped on the back of this man, he snapped straight and immediately bowed his head to both of them. “I wasn’t aware you were the ones who stopped Meteor. Thank you!”

“Carry on, then!” Yuffie said aloofly. With a dismissive hand wave, she turned on her heels and strolled away.

Nanaki trotted to her side, grinning up at her. “You don’t need to abuse this.”

“Of course I do,” she scoffed. “If I’m gonna have to stare at all these Shinra logos while I help, then I’m gonna make sure they’re grateful for it.”

Another, yet distinctly familiar, voice cried out, “Yuffie! Nanaki!” Jogging and skipping up to them jubilantly, Cait Sith waved. 

Nanaki hadn’t seen Cait Sith since Meteorfall, it was startling to see the cat as opposed to his controller—more so that Cait was alone. “W-Where is your companion?”

Cait Sith shook his head. “Ah, me chum has worked hard enough for one lifetime. It’s aboot time he retired. It’s just little ol’ me from now on.”

Nanaki also couldn’t help but smile inwardly at the tiny, red bandana tied to Cait Sith’s left arm.

Yuffie tilted her head, folding her arms across her chest. “Are…Are you Reeve right now? Or…?”

Bouncing on the heels of his boots, Cait grinned up at her impishly. “Always best to assume Aye am, but ye can never be too sure.” He then spun and gestured for the two to follow him as he sauntered toward one of the buildings. “Thank ye for comin.’ Since the two a’ya are stayin’ for a spell, Aye wanted to introduce ye to some of the others.”

“Others?” Nanaki repeated. “Surely you don’t mean the entire company.”

“Not at all,” Cait assured them as they walked. “But there’s some who’ll be doin’ some of the tougher jobs, and Aye think they should meet ye.” Cait paused at the foot of a door, then meaningfully reached his short arms toward an ID scanner. “Cannae quite…Do ye mind?”

Both Nanaki and Cait waited patiently, and the pause dragged on awkwardly. Finally, Yuffie blushed and fumbled with her lanyard. “Oh, _me!_ Right, right, right.”

Nanaki swallowed down a sigh. This was one of the many things about spending time in human company that grated on him. They made so many of their spaces inaccessible to anyone other than their views of normality. Nanaki did not anticipate moving on his own easily.

Swiping her ID, Yuffie pulled open the door and allowed Cait to lead the two inside. Various workers glanced at the colorful entourage they made as they passed by open offices: Yuffie looking much like she was squaring up every employee they passed, Cait Sith cheerfully waving and greeting office workers by name, and Nanaki. Nanaki had to do nothing to appear out of place, and humans shuffling out of his path uneasily only accentuated that fact.

Cait Sith led Yuffie and Nanaki into an open office packed with men and women idling and chatting anxiously. Nanaki had not been aware there were more than four Turks, but the black suits on each of the room’s occupants, all ten of them, were unmistakable. Like Turks they also made no obvious acknowledgement of the newcomers, but Nanaki sensed an immediate readiness from each of them. It was like walking into a room of fellow predators.

Before any of them had any chance to address one another, a young woman with a long, sandy-blonde ponytail leapt from her chair. She ran at Nakanki, Yuffie, and Cait, beaming brightly as she flung her arms wide. _“Cait Sith!”_

“Freyra!” Cait Sith chriped, spreading his arms as well.

“Cait Sith! CaitSithCaitSithCaitSithCaitSith—” Freyra scooped Cait into an eager embrace and squeezed him tightly. Immediately her jaw dropped, letting out an exaggerated gasp. “Oh, you are _softer_ than I remembered.”

“Aye’ve always been told Aye’m a wee sentimental,” Cait affirmed with a nod, his hands on his cheeks shyly.

Freyra pointed at him with a smile. “Ah, because you’re ‘soft’! Ha!” Freyra held up Cait to the others. “Guys, he’s _so_ soft!” Freyra darted about the room and offered Cait to the other Turks, and they each took turns fawning over the stuffed cat and marveling at the novelty of his speech. Cait Sith took all the attention eagerly, absorbing any pets or compliments. 

Yuffie and Nanaki shared uncomfortable looks with each other. Now that Nanaki had spent significant time around Cait Sith’s actual identity, it was difficult to separate the two in his mind, and Yuffie’s expression suggested she was thinking something similar. The scene took on a surreal quality to imagine a woman slightly shorter than Tifa cradling the nearly six-foot tall Reeve in her arms and showing him off to the room as he feigned bashfulness.

Yuffie coughed meaningfully. “You, um. You know who that is, right?” 

Cait innocently grinned and clasped his gloved hands. “Everyone’s very best chum?”

Freyra shrugged to Yuffie. “Yeah, I know. And? He’s _soft.”_

“Just…making sure, I guess,” Yuffie mumbled.

One of the other Turks, a hard-faced woman with hair trailing down her back caught the insinuation, and stared at Cait in suspicion. “What do you mean? This _is_ someone?”

“Ah, seems Aye’m outta the bag,” Cait said with a shrug, hopping from Freyra’s arms. Taking a bow, he introduced himself with, “Yes, me name is Cait Sith. But Aye’m just a toy controlled remotely—sometimes,” he explained, holding up a finger. “Aye can walk and talk as Aye please, but anything ye say to me will make it to me controller: Reeve Tuesti. Best to assume it’s him at any time.”

A stunned silence passed. The room as a collective whole turned to Freyra. 

Freyra shrugged largely. “Yeah, and? He’s. _Soft.”_

“And for now, Aye’m in fact the Senior Director,” Cait Sith announced, folding his arms behind his back. “Chief Dragoon is still helpin’ me with somethin,’ so we apologize we have to make do with introductions like this.”

This being the first time there had been actual confirmation of speaking directly to Reeve, Yuffie craned over Cait’s shoulder and mumbled, “So, the first thing you did after getting the job is hire a million more Turks?”

“All of them have been Turks for years,” Cait corrected. “They were only able to get back to duty during the evacuation. At some point Aye’ll let ye know where they were, but now’s not the time.”

“Yeah,” a person with dark skin and flared bangs said, gesturing to Yuffie. “More like ‘who’s _this’?”_

A broad-shouldered, red haired man in sunglasses idly spun an unlit cigar between his fingers. “And since when do you hire twelve-year olds, boss?”

“I’m sixteen!” Yuffie snapped angrily, stomping a foot. 

Curling his lip, he shook his head. “Ooh, really doesn’t make it much better.”

“She’s Kisaragi Yuffie,” a short woman with red, wavy hair said in a soft, but firm voice. “Daughter of Kisaragi Godo, _Daimyo_ of Wutai.”

As the room again fell still, Yuffie straightened and folded her arms across her chest confidently, smiling ear to ear. “That’s right. Don’t forget ‘ninja extraordinaire’ and ‘slayer of Meteor’. I better start hearing some ‘thank you’s,” she added, motioning with a hand.

Nods and gratitude indeed passed, though Nanaki could hear Freyra mumble, “We saved the world too…” This was an odd thing to say, and especially in as quiet and genuine a tone as she had. Perhaps Nanaki would have to satisfy his curiosity about it at some point.

One of the Turks stepped up to Yuffie. “It _is_ you. I had no idea you were Kisaragi’s _daughter.”_ The sharply-slender, tall woman with black, jaw-length hair smiled at Yuffie with mauve lips. “Look at you, all grown up. Do you remember me?”

Yuffie’s bravado drained and she blinked up at her, then her eyes widened in sudden recognition. “V…Violet? You weren’t just Shinra, you were a _Turk…?!”_

Her face brightening, Violet smiled at Yuffie. “To think that little spitfire saved the world. I’m happy to see you again.” She raised a hand to pat Yuffie on the head, but withdrew it quickly as Yuffie slapped it away aggressively.

Yuffie scowled at her and her lips tightened. “Don’t act like you’re my friend.”

Violet’s face paled, and as she stepped back she nodded stiffly. “I…guess not. I never lied to you, you know.”

Angrily, Yuffie turned her head. “And you didn’t say you were Shinra either.”

“Ye’ve…met?” Cait Sith said awkwardly.

“She’s not the only one,” Nanaki said in a bitter growl. 

The crowd of Turks all gaped at Nanaki in surprise to hear him speak, all save one. In the back of the room, a gangly man with pale skin and glasses continued to polish a katana, avoiding eye contact. When the rest of the room followed Nanaki’s gaze to him, his shoulders rose and fell from a deep sigh. As he turned his head, Nanaki felt his hackles raise. He knew that face too well. The black hair swept back in spikes, the strands that dangled over the right side of his forehead, his dull, grey eyes, Wutain features, and especially the scar that trailed under his right eye down to his jaw like a crack in porcelain.

“Hello, Nanaki,” the Turk greeted in a weary, raspy voice.

“You bothered to remember my name,” Nanaki scoffed. 

“Of course I did,” he said softly. “I was never proud of what I was ordered to do.”

Cait Sith’s jaw fell open, immediately catching the insinuation. “Oh…Oh, gracious me…That’s not good.”

A light went off behind Yuffie’s eyes, and she stepped in front of Nanaki defensively, staring daggers at the Turk. _“He_ took you to Hojo. Didn’t he?”

Hearing the name again elicited a furious snort from Nanaki. The dead simply refused to stay unmentioned, it seemed. “I will never forget your name either, Balto of the Turks.”

Balto bowed to the two deeply. “I can make no apologies for following past orders. But I hope I can someday deserve the service you gave to this world.” 

Her gray eyes growing wider in searing rage for a moment, Yuffie spun on her heels and stormed toward the door. “I can’t believe I thought I could stomach any of you Shinra assholes,” Yuffie snarled. “I’m out. Let’s go, Nanaki.”

“Wait!” Cait Sith blurted, skidding in front of her and waving his arms. “Please, Yuffie, Nanaki, there was no way Aye could have protected Midgar without them. They’re Turks, but…but they’ve stayed because they believe they can make up for what they’ve done as much as meself.”

Yuffie was clearly unmoved, only arching an eyebrow, but Nanaki paused. He recalled the condition of Midgar, and in his mind the faces of desperate and despairing refugees passed. As miserable a sight as they were, he considered how more distressing it would be to see fewer of them in the camps. He also recalled the sight of Reeve sitting in a ruined house staring out over the husk of Midgar. If a Shinra director could change, a Turk could.

With a deep sigh, Nanaki meaningfully nudged his head against Yuffie’s leg. “Yuffie. Hojo is dead, and we’re here for the people of Midgar. If a Turk is taking orders from Reeve, the orders will not be the same as they were.”

In surprise, Yuffie gawked at him, then gradually smiled. Rolling her eyes, she gave Nanaki a gentle scratch to his neck. “…You’re better than me, Nanaki. I don’t even have as justified a grudge. Why do you always make me look bad?”

He turned his head up to her and gave her the closest to a smile he could. “I hazard to say I am really much better. I am forgiving no one, but I will do what is necessary to help the people.”

Cait Sith sighed with relief, his tiny shoulders sagging dramatically. “Thank goodness. Aye owe ye both an apology. Aye had no idea, Aye promise nothin’ aboot any history had ever come up.”

“It would have been strange for it to have had the chance,” Nanaki assured him.

Yuffie smirked down at Cait Sith, then looked back to the room. “All of you are lucky Nanaki and Cait Sith are vouching for you. I’d take you _all_ on,” she assured them, pointing a finger at the Turks threateningly. “And don’t think for a second I don’t have my eye on you. So, you better _watch_ it.”

Grins passed between the Turks, clearly holding back snickers.

Nanaki always marveled at Yuffie’s level of self-confidence.

“Goodness.” Cait huffed, then straightened. “I suppose that takes care of three introductions, then. And the two of ye met Emma Clarke two days ago,” he continued, gesturing to the woman who bore a striking resemblance to her sister Elena. 

Emma shortly waved and half-smiled. The conditions of their meeting hadn’t been the best, after all.

“This is Corin Agresti,” Cait Sith said, pointing to a young man who barely looked older than Yuffie. His head was topped with a mop of blonde curls, and a hefty pair of nunchucks hung from his belt. He casually waved two fingers at them. 

Cait stepped up to the Turk with wild bangs and dark skin. “That’s Ruluf Dillon.” 

“Hey,” Ruluf said calmly.

Next was the tallest of the group, a widely-built man with a square jaw and closely-cropped, brown hair. “This is Maur Nilsen.”

“Thank you again, Nanaki, Miss Kisaragi,” Maur said, nodding his head.

“Our very well-informed friend here is Cissnei,” Cait Sith said as he paused beside the young woman with red hair. 

“It’s a shame the rest of the room isn’t,” Cissnei said in a gentle tone, but added a sly smirk as her brown eyes flitted to her fellow Turks. “Also? Not my real name.”

Cait Sith paused, glancing up at her. “Uh…then…?”

Her smirk spread into a grin. “Cissnei is fine.”

“Yer gon’ ta be a handful, aye?” Cait said, returning her sly smile.

“I have no idea what you mean, sir.”

Pausing next to the second redhead, Cait nudged his shin to interrupt him lighting his cigar. “Not inside, Claude.”

Irritably, the oldest in the room clapped his lighter shut again and went back to twirling the cigar between his fingers. “Love that introduction, boss,” he grunted, the rest of the Turks snickering. “Yes, my name’s Claude Renard. Though I will answer to ‘The Legend’. I’m a lot to take in, I know,” he added, giving an assuring wave of his hands. After a facetiously humble bow of his head, he slicked back his red hair and smirked.

“Oh, wow, gonna love this guy,” Yuffie mumbled, rolling her eyes again.

“And this is Judet-Ooleena,” Cait Sith finished. 

The woman with loose, dusty-brown hair that hung to her hips and bronze skin nodded to Yuffie and Nanaki. “I don’t want to speak for everyone,” she said in a husky voice. “But I look forward to working with you.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, do keep in mind,” Cait announced to the room. “Nanaki and Yuffie are not technically employees and have no obligation to defer to rank. However, Aye expect everyone here to treat a request from them as though it were from me.”

While Yuffie’s grin widened devilishly, Nanaki looked at Cait sideways. “…I expect no one to defer to me.”

“I expect every _one_ of you to defer to me,” Yuffie disagreed. 

“It’s not an issue, sir,” Freyra assured Nanaki with a thumbs up. “Any friend of Reeve Tuesti has the Turks on their side.”

“Although, now that ye say that…” Cait said solemnly, clearing his throat. “Aye hate to have to announce it this way, but Aye suppose it’s better sooner than later.” Hopping onto a desk, Cait stood as tall as his tiny frame allowed and took a deep breath. “At this time Aye must announce the formal disbanding of the Investigation Sector of the General Affairs Department.”

Claude dropped his cigar and lowered his sunglasses, and shocked looks were traded between the other Turks.

“Whoa, wait, what?” Ruluf said. “You…just said we’re working with you and then you…just disband the Turks?”

Smiling in amusement, Yuffie bit her lip. “Yikes.”

“The Turks as an organization have too stained a reputation,” Cait Sith said, shaking his head. “Some of ye have likely already heard that Tseng, Rude, and Reno are being searched for by a number of the city states. When the time comes, we may have to face the unfortunate fact that word is spreading the Turks were responsible for Sector 7’s fall.”

“At President’s Shinra’s direct order!” Corin protested.

“It’s naive to think that will be enough to protect them,” Cissnei pointed out.

Maur sighed and rubbed his face. “There’s going to be a lot of finger pointing in the next few months.”

“Aye hate to think it’s the case,” Cait said with a nod. “But Aye have a feelin’ ye’ll all be caught in the crossfire if Aye don’t do somethin’ to take eyes off ye. Aye refuse to let any of ye be associated with the Turks.”

“…But we’re Turks,” Freyra said in a small voice.

“Yer employees of a Shinra that is currently undergoing a massive restructuring,” Cait corrected her gently. “And the plans Aye have just can’t allow for the kind of work ye all did.”

Judet slowly eased herself in front of Cait Sith, fidgeting with her fingerless gloves. “…This also comes from the Chief, doesn’t it?”

Cait nodded. “He agrees with me.”

“I’ll believe it when I hear it from him,” Violet scoffed, folding her arms across her chest.

“Ah, just a wee moment then.” Cait Sith paused, stone still. A few silent moments passed as the room awaited his next move in befuddlement. Cait Sith then stiffly held up a hand. A completely different voice came from Cait, a deep, gravely one that spoke of hard years: “This is awkward. Can everyone hear me?”

The Turks immediately snapped straight at the sound of the voice, the sudden shift in the room startling Nanaki. “Sir!” they all affirmed.

Yuffie’s eyes grew larger and they swiveled to Nanaki uncomfortably. Nanaki could only give her an approximation of a shrug.

“Reeve and I have been discussing the change for the last two days,” Cait Sith said, placing a hand behind his back as the alien, gruff voice came from him. “You are all a team, and I am still your Chief. But we cannot be Turks anymore. An organization that rebuilds itself on transparency and trust has no need for the Turks, or for a title as purposely misleading as the Investigational Sector of General Affairs.”

Solemnly, the group absorbed this. The dire seriousness in the air belied the sight of the orders coming from Cait Sith.

“However, a group able to move between departments and handle jobs that require the highest loyalty will still be necessary,” Cait continued. “From this day forward all of you are Special Operations. SpecOps. It’s honest, it’s to the point. Code names will not be necessary, and I expect you all to drop referring to yourselves as Turks at once—even when you think you have privacy.”

Cissnei’s eyes grew larger momentarily, and she turned away from the group in distressed silence.

Cait Sith shook his head, folding his arms. “This will be difficult. But it’s necessary. It’s a name we’ve all held in high regard for many years. But so long as we are taking care of each other and focusing on our goals then a name is of no consequence.” He straightened with a bearing of command ridiculous on Cait Sith. “SpecOps.”

Every one of the former Turks responded with, “Sir!”

A smile crossed Cait Sith’s face. “I’ll be back to HQ as soon as possible with new assignments. For now, aid the salvage crews and rescue teams.”

“Yes, sir!”

Cait Sith shuddered visibly, then idly shook himself off. “Ah. There we go,” he said in his typical, Highland accent. “Thank ye all for yer hard work.”

“Yes, Senior Director,” they affirmed, unphased by the shift.

“Uh…” Cait Sith tapped his foot and scratched behind his ear. “How do ye usually get the signal to be on yer way?”

Emma laughed lightly. “Telling us to be on our way will work.”

“Be on yer way, then!” Cait chirped with a cheerful wave. 

“Sir!”

Hopping off the desk, Cait strolled up to Nanaki and Yuffie. As the others dispersed, Cait grinned at his two friends. “Whatever ye want to help with is up to ye. Ye know Aye appreciate anythin’ at all.”

“Who the heck was _that?”_ Yuffie asked. 

“Hm? Oh, Chief Veld Dragoon,” Cait informed her. “He’s been a good friend a’mine for years. We go way back. He’s trustworthy, and…well, he’s the sort it’s best to have on yer side. Also, best to never ask what sorts of things he’s done.”

Choosing to leave that bit of unpleasantness there, Nanaki cleared his throat. “I’m not sure what we can do right away,” Nanaki said gently. “When will you be back?”

“Soon,” Cait assured him. “Right now Aye’m having to juggle this conversation and some right awful legal business. Can barely stand it meself, but it’s gon’ ta be necessary.”

“If you say so,” Yuffie shrugged.

“Veld wants to know…” Cait said. “Have the two a’ye seen Vincent?”

Nanaki’s eye thinned. “What would he want with Vincent?”

“They used to know each other!” Cait said excitedly. “Before, well, ye know.”

Both Yuffie and Nanaki started in surprise. “Oh,” Yuffie said. “Really? I mean, I guess I never thought that there must be people who knew him still around…”

Cait nodded. “So, have ye seen him?”

They glanced at each other and shook their heads. “Last I saw him,” Yuffie said, “he was hanging around Cid.”

“Not for much longer, unless he plans to go to Rocket Town,” Cait said glumly.

 _“Already?”_ she said in similar disappointment.

“He’s not takin’ off just yet, but the crews are gettin’ ready ta send off the _Highwind.”_

* * *

Elmyra carried the flower-printed suitcase down the stairs, setting it beside Barret’s duffle bag. Seeing the luggage caused a despondent sigh to escape her, and she added a small smile to him. Barret idled near the foot of the stairs, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for Malene.

“The place will be so quiet,” Elmyra ventured.

Smiling back to her, Barret shook his head. “Nah, you’ll still have a full house, remember?”

“At least one of us will be happy to be sleeping in a bed,” she said with a light laugh.

“There see,” Barret chuckled with her. “Positive.” He then leaned to stare up the stairs. “Marlene! I _been_ ready. Get ya butt movin.’”

From upstairs she called down, “I’m saying goodbye to the flowers!”

Clicking his tongue, Barret repeated “saying goodbye to the flowers” under his breath. “Flowers ain’t gonna miss you,” he pressed. “But there’s an airship that will! Get down here.”

Elmyra giggled, shaking her head. “Aerith would’ve been _very_ upset if she heard you say something like that.”

Sheepishly, Barret chuckled and smoothed his beard with his hand. “Yeah, she would have really let me have it, wouldn’t she?”

Marlene trotted down the stairs, her plush Cait Sith in the crook of her arm. “I’m ready, Daddy.”

Patting the top of her head, Barret eased her toward the door. He then slung his bag over his shoulder and picked up hers. “Better be off,” he said to Elmyra gently.

Fighting any impulse to show how disappointed she was, Elmyra knelt to give Marlene a short kiss on her cheek. “You two be careful,” she said as she stood again. “All the towns in the Corel mountain area are rough, I hear.”

His smile taking on a distinctly sullen look, Barret nodded. “They can be. But we’ll be fine. It won’t be too long.”

“I’ll miss you, Ms. Elmyra,” Marlene said, hugging her legs tightly.

Giving her shoulders a squeeze, Elmyra put on her bravest smile. “I am going to miss you so much, Marlene.”

“We’ll make sure we’re not imposing when we get back,” Barret added.

“Imposing?” Elmyra scoffed. “Never. You’re family now.”

His smile grew and he awkwardly pulled her into a one-armed hug around the bags. “Damn right. You too.”

“Stay safe,” Elmyra said in a soft voice.

“We will,” he assured her. “Alright, baby girl, let’s go.”

“Bye-bye!” Marlene called, skipping out the front door.

Elmyra waved the two off as they walked down the road toward Kalm’s plaza. In the distance she could see the imposing sight of the _Highwind_ resting on the outskirts of town. For the umpteenth time that day, she inwardly debated running after to say goodbye as the ship took off, but she pushed the urge aside. That moment was for that group and that group alone.

For as much family as Elmyra wanted to be, there was a certain air about the former outlaws that kept them and herself apart. She had seen it over and over again the last several days. They almost spoke a completely different language, all of them bonded by experiences Elmyra couldn’t begin to understand. Even though Reeve had never been physically with them, he carried the same otherness when around the group—it were as though a switch would be flipped if even one of Cloud’s rebels were near him. The metaphorical wall Elmyra stood on the other side of reminded her of when her late husband was ever around his fellow soldiers. She was welcome, but she would never be exactly like them.

The upcoming weeks and months would be a test for that very strange family. With as much as there was to be done, would they all make the time they needed for each other? She only hoped that was the case. Otherwise, the very vibrant, patchwork quilt they formed would unravel.

“Good luck,” she whispered to the ship in the distance before closing the front door.

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone, I'm still keeping up with the main cast of FF7, but allow me to give formal introductions to the playable characters of Before Crisis. Someone playing the game in its original form has the choice of playing with any of the characters here, Legend is an unlockable. As far as the plot of Before Crisis, I went ahead and divided up the various missions from the game and have in my head who achieved what. In honor of the fan remake of Before Crisis and the video I watched using Shotgun as the main character, I decided Shotgun (Freyra) did a good chunk of the important plot points--including the mission when the player character gets to go into the field with Cait Sith, and Reeve provides support long-distance.
> 
> I have an idea how Red XIII's capture differs from what happened in Before Crisis. If I get enough requests for it, I might consider writing it.
> 
> I hope everyone can figure out who is who from the illustrations/descriptions.


End file.
